Method of making hollow glass articles.



No. 709,796. Patented Sept, 23, I902.

n. c. RIPLEY. METHOD OF MAKING HOLLOW GLASS ARTICLES.

(Application filed Oct/22, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNllTlElD STATns PATENT @rrrcn.

DANIEL O. RIPLEY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATESGLASS COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF MAKING HULLOW GLASS ARTBCLESQ .SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 709,796, dated September 23, 1902.

Application filed October 22, 1901. Serial No. 79,511. (No model.)

To an whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL O. RIPLEY, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county,Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Method of Making HollowGlass Articles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, formingpart of this specification, in which the figure is a sectional side IOelevation showing a preferred form of apparatus for carrying out my newprocess.

My invention relates to the formation of hollow glass articles, and moreespecially to the formation of blanks for cut-glass articles,

though it may be employed for making other hollow glass articles, and itis designed to cheapen the production of such articles and increase theoutput and also to do away with the highly-skilled labor heretoforenecessary in this art and to reduce the amount of waste in the glass.

In the drawings, 2 represents a circular metal base-plate secured to theupper end of the vertical shaft 3, extending through a bearing 4 on thetable 5 and having a lower stepbearing 6. This shaft may be driventhrough any suitable connection, such as bevel-gearing. (Shown at 7.)

S is a ring which is arranged to fit neatly about the base-plate and isprovided with an intermediate inwardly-projecting rib 9,which rests uponthe top of the base. The inner periphery of the rib and also the upperpart of the ring are preferably beveled slightly,

as shown, and the ring is provided with suitable handles 10.

A blow-mold 11 is placed upon the table adjacent to the rotarycasting-plate and is provided with an annular projection or rib 12,

around which the ring 8 fits, the upper end of the blow-mold cavitybeing preferably of the same size as the inner perimeter of the ring.The blow-mold is provided with small holes 13 to allow exit of theair,and these holes are preferably of such a size that the glass willenter them slightly and form small projections upon the outer surface ofthe blank. These projections are arranged according to the desiredpattern to be out upon the blank and greatly assist the operator inlaying out the design upon the blank. Pins 17 may be used in the moldwhich form small indentations for the same purpose.

14 is a circular cap having an air-inlet pipe 15, controlled by valve16, and to which compressed air is led by a flexible hose or othersuitable connection. This cap is preferably provided with a V-shaped orsharpened lower edge and is arranged to sit upon that portion of theglass which is above the annular rib 9.

In carrying out my improved processI place the ring upon the rotary baseand place the glass upon the base. This base being rotated will assistin spreading the glass by centrifugal force, and the glass is spreadinto the form of a circular plate with its upper surface above the ribofthe ring, as shown. As soon as this operation is accomplished the ringwith the contained glass plate is lifted and set upon the blow-mold. Thecap is then set upon the glass and may be either of sufficient weight toenter it slightly or may be pressed down, the object being to seal thejoint and prevent any substantial leakage of air therethrough, theplastic glass forming the jacket. Air is then fed into the cap underpressure and forces the glass downwardly and expands it within thematrix-cavity of the blow-mold. The cap is then removed, the ringlifted, and the blank removed from it.

The steps are easily and quickly carried out, and the resulting blanksare uniform in size and shape and are obtained without the use of theskilled labor heretofore necessary. It will be noted that noforrning-surface is brought into contact with the upper face of theglass during the process. This prevents the usual chilled glass layerand gives a fine inner surface to the article. The small externalprojections or indentations on the blank greatly aid in the laying outof the patterns.

When the article is removed from the mold a pattern is cut thereon,using the projections or indentations as guides therefor. I am awarethat articles have been made by forming glass into a flat blank or plateon a perforated surface and then expanding the blank into hollow form byair forced through said perforations; but in my process the plate-likeblank is placed over the matrix-cavity with the side which was incontact with the forming-surface next to the cavity, so that whenexpanded into the latter the side which was out of contact with theforming-surface and which is therefore un marred shall constitute theinner side of the blown article and shall present a fine finish. Theglass may be spread within the ring without rotating the base, and theapparatus may be widely varied in other ways without departing from myinvention.

I claim 1. The method of forming a blank for cut glass articles,consisting in expanding glass within a mold and simultaneously formingsmall projections'or indentations upon its exterior, and then cutting apattern thereon using said projections or indentations as guides;substantially as described.

2. The method of forming hollow glass articles, consisting in feedingglass upon a base within a frame, rotating the base and spreading theglass within the frame, bringing the frame with the contained glassplate into op position to a mold, and forcing the plate into themold-cavity; substantially as described.

3. The method of forming hollow glass articles, consisting in spreadingplastic glass into plate form with one face out of contact with anyforming-surface, and then forcing the glass plate while still plasticinto a matrix with the side of the plate which was in contact with theforming-surface directed toward the matrix; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. a

DA NIEL C. RIPLEY.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. BLEMING, L. M. REDMAN.

